2i6 A Modem Bee-Farm 



When to Hive the Bees. 



One is so often told tHat it is necessary to place the bees 

 in their new hive the same evening they are brought home, 

 that I think it necessary to shew how robbing need not occur, 

 even if combs wet from extracting are given to them at the 

 middle of a warm day. It is considered that when put in 

 during the evening all the bees congregate to the hive, but" 

 they would not in the daytime, besides being liable to get 

 robbed out. 



The fact is, with cool evenings often experienced in 

 autumn, many bees are lost by their not being able to note 

 their location ; whereas in the middle of the day they gradually 

 settle down to the one spot like a new swarm and not one is 

 lost, while the bee-keeper is able to find his extra queens, and 

 is in no trouble about darkness coming upon him before he 

 has half finished. 



Place the Frame-hives in Position, 



quite empty, and shoot in the bees, taking care that only one 

 queen is left to preside over the two, three, or more lots 

 united. Now get your stored combs, or those fresh from the 

 extractor, and arrange them in position ; put on the quilt and 

 cover all securely^ leaving the entrance several inches wide. 

 As the stored combs are given just before closing no robber 

 bees are on hand ; but where empty combs or foundation have' 

 to be inserted, feed carefully until the hive is well supplied. 



Taking average lots, the number to put together to make a 

 fair stock should be as follows, according to the manner in 

 which their house may' be furnished^— with stored combs, two 

 swarms ; with empty combs, three ; foundation, four. 



Uniting to other Stocks. 



A wasteful plan, which results only in loss of bees and 

 time, is that of adding d riven bees to weak colonies at home. ' 



